1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to hinge assemblies and, particularly, to a hinge assembly for foldable electronic devices such as mobile phones, portable computers, and so on.
2. Description of Related Art
At present, perhaps the most popular portable electronic device in the marketplace is the foldable mobile phone, which generally includes a cover section and a body section. The cover section and the body section are rotatably interconnected through a hinge assembly, for switching the telephone between an in-use position and a closed position.
One kind of hinge assembly employs a cam and a follower, which makes the cover section fold outward from the body section and then be held in an open position. The hinge assembly typically includes a cam having a concave portion, a follower having a convex portion, a shaft having a fixing end, and a spring. The cam and the follower are placed around the shaft. The spring resists the follower making the concave portion tightly contact the convex portion. This hinge assembly allows the concave portion to rotate about the convex portion by overcoming the force of the spring. However, the hinge assembly can only be opened to several preset angles, and cannot be retained at different angles to realize free stop of the hinge assembly.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.